Orcs in the Hills
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Flintloque News and Reviews from the Spring 1996 issue of Wessex Games' Orcs in the Hills magazine.
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Confidential Despatches aims to provide you with up to date and early news of forthcoming Valon based releases and anything else we hope is of interest. Whilst we hope to be as accurate as possible obviously plans change and we won't get it right all of the time...
Whoops! Well after providing us with a list of figure releases from January to April, Alternative then advised us (after Orcs issue one was out) that a January release in fact comes out in February (in fact February 27th to be precise), February in March etc. So taking that into account, this is what planned over the next few months (excluding any "brilliant" new ideas that get though up!) and the months they should be in the shops...
Originally here was a long list of miniatures and prices, as with Issue One I have removed this as its 15 years on and the list is somewhat defunct.
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Flintloque the RPG? Well given the immense possibilities of the Valon background, role-playing is a sphere Alternative Armies are keen to move into, and a role-playing game system is being worked upon for early 1997 release, as well as background material for the Orc Capital of Londinium with its slum and workshop ridden rookeries and gaudy palaces.
1997 came and went but sadly the Flintloque RPG never came to be.
Interestingly US Company Steve Jackson Games is poised to release in Spring 1996 a supplement for its GURPS system entitled Goblins: "a nightmarish version of eighteenth century London where all the inhabitants are goblins - stupid, crass, prank-loving, violent goblins, with more than a little magic about them. With rules for duelling, cheating and sexually transmitted diseases..." Umm... More on this as and when.
Steve Jackson Games did indeed release GURPS: Goblins, it's actually a cracking read. You can see full details about it here.
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Flintloque on the Internet? Well apparently Tim Pollard has put something on it (quite what we don't know as we're not linked into the information superhighway). For those net surfers among you try the following:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/timpol/flintloq.htm
I hope that makes more sense to you than it does me... Apparently there is a big questions and answers bit on the rules.
Sadly the website has now long gone, if anyone has information on exactly what the site contained please do drop me a line on either the Historcy or Notables Yahoo Group.
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Sharpe fans will be pleased to see that Sharpe's Battle, if not already out in paperback, is due out imminently. This is crammed full of ideas for Flintloque gamers, not least the French Loup Brigade, who'd make some seriously bad ass Elves - a review of the book next issue.
On the TV front, this year’s adaptations are Sharpe's Regiment, Sharpe's Siege and Sharpe's Revenge, all due for summer airing (we think). Sharpe's Waterloo is being filmed in September and apparently the next TV adaptation will be based around Sharpe's early career and his initial run in with Obidiah Hakeswill (we're told Bernard Cornwell is writing the book as we type). Not sure if it's set in India or Flanders, but Mac at Alternative is dying to do some Goblin Sepoys...
The Goblin Sepoys (53511) did get made; they are currently available from Alternative Armies. You can also read about them in the "Flintloque Reloaded (2nd Edition files)" section of the Notable Members Yahoo Group.
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If you're looking for some good books on uniforms, then Arms and Armour Press have released a couple of highly useful from the old Blandford Napoleonic series. Even if you aren't painting your Flintloque figures up in straight Napoleonic colours, they'll provide you with a lot of inspiration.
Flintloque players should take a look at Uniforms of the Peninsular Wars 1807-1814 by Philip Haythornwaite & Michael Chappell, with over 150 uniforms in colour and more in black and white, there are more than enough different variations to keep even the most adventurous painter happy.
Deadloque gamers will find Uniforms of Napoleon's Russian Campaign by the same authors to be of immense use. Again 150 plus colour uniforms and some more in black and white. In addition to the uniform details, they will also give you loads of ideas for small unusual units that are perfect for interpretation and inclusion in Flintloque. Both retail for £12.99 and are worth every penny.
All of the above books can still be found on Amazon.co.uk.
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Next issue (out on Midsummer's Eve, 21st June 1996) will include Sharke's Eagle - a scenario based on the heroic capture of an Elven Eagle at the Battle of Tel'n'Vera, the start of a series of small "one page" short scenarios for quick one off games, more from Sergeant Graznak, a look at Dwarves on the tabletop, Napoleonique cavalry and a rules introducing the Halfling volunteers in Albion's employ (Bilbo Baggins they are not...) Packed to the bilges or what?
Orcs in the Hills Issue Three did indeed come out in the Summer of 1996. It will be making digital appearance here on Orcs in the Webbe later in 2011 as part of our ongoing Flintloque archive project.
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For those of you who missed issue one of Orcs in the Hills, you can still order it from us at a cost of £1.95 plus 25p p&p. Issue one included a Goblin v Dark Elf v High Elf scenario, an Ogre Provost scenario, ranks of the Elven army, a report on the Essen'95 show, a look at the Guinalean Rebellion, a guide to converting Flintloque miniatures and rules for the temptation of women and wine.
Wessex Games no longer has any copies of Orcs in the Hills Issue Two. They are now quite rare, every now and again they show up on eBay (I myself only got a printed copy of Issue Two in 2011, now to track down an Issue One...).
Belated recognition and thanks to Pete Knifton for allowing us to use Sergeant Harpy on the front cover last issue. This issue's picture of a Guinalean Legion Bog Orc Fusilier is a somewhat "converted" illustration of a Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen infantryman in Spain 1810 by Don Fosten taken from Practical Wargamer.
Webmaster's Notes
The above article is reprinted exactly as it was in the first issue of Orcs in the Hills magazine; it was published in the Spring of 1996 by Wessex Games.